Petroleum and Coal Article Open Access EVALUATION OF SOURCE ROCKS OF THE CAMPANO-MAASTRICHTIAN NKPORO GROUP OF ANAMBRA BASIN, SOUTHEASTERN NIGERIA K. C. Chiadikobi and O. I. Chiaghanam Department of Geology, Faculty of Physical Sciences, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Uli, Anambra State, Nigeria Received August 16, 2018; Accepted October 19, 2018 Abstract The Nkporo Group of the Anambra Basin consists mostly of dark -grey to black shales, mudstones, sandstone and siltstone. The aim of this study is to evaluate the source rocks and paleoenviron- ments of the Nkporo Group in the Anambra Basin. The objectives are to: determine the organic richness of the source rock and the type of organic matter (kerogen type), determine their thermal maturity and evaluate the hydrocarbon generation potentials of the source rocks of the Nkporo Group (Nkporo Formation and Enugu Shale). The study was undertaken in three stages: desk work, field and laboratory studies. Twenty-five samples from the Nkporo Formation and Enugu Shale were analyzed using Leco CS 125 and HAWK pyrolyser for the organic geochemical param- eters. This parameter was used to assess the source rock quantity and quality, type of organic matter, maturity and generating potential of the source rocks (shales). From the results of the geochemical analysis, the Total Organic Carbon (TOC) contents of the Nkporo Formation and Enugu Shale varied from 0.41 to 2.42wt.% and 0.53 to 3.15 wt.% respectively. This shows that Nkporo Formation and Enugu Shale has fair to very good organic matter contents. The organic matter richness varies from 0.08 to 4.40mgHC/g for the Nkporo Formation and 0.36 to 3.97mgHC/g for the Enugu Shale. Hydrogen Index versus Oxygen Index plots and visual kerogen shows that the Nkporo Formation was of Type III/IV while Enugu Shale was of Type II/III kerogen. The Thermal maturity index (Tmax) of the Nkporo Formation and Enugu Shale varies from 418 to 443°C and 430 to 443°C respectively. These suggest that the Nkporo Formation is m arginally mature to mature while Enugu Shale is mature. The results of this study has shown that the source rocks of the Nkporo Formation is immature and has not generated hydrocarbon while that of the Enugu Shale is mature and has generated hydrocarbon. Keywords: Nkporo Formation; HAWK Pyrolysis; Kerogen; Organic Matter; Hydrocarbon. 1. Introduction Anambra Basin has a total sediment thickness of about 9km and presents an economically viable hydrocarbon Province [1]. It is characterized by enormous lithologic heterogeneity in both lateral and vertical extension [1]. The search for commercial deposit of hydrocarbon in the Anambra Basin has been on the drawing board especially to oil companies and research groups. Initial efforts were unrewarding, and this leads to the neglect of this basin in favour of the Niger Delta Basin [2-3]. The increasing global energy demand, the advent of improved exploration tools, integrated basin analytical methods, the need to circumvent the pending energy crises, and ultimately the allocation of concession blocks in Anambra Basin, oil/gas exploration and prospecting activities have provided the impetus for sustained exploration in the basin. It is against this background that this research focuses on providing necessary infor- mation to optimize development in exploration and exploitation of petroleum in the Anambra Pet Coal (2018); 60(6): 1228-1240 ISSN 1337-7027 an open access journal 1228 Petroleum and Coal Basin. The maturity of organic matters is one of the most important processes in the evalua- tion of sources rock [4] (Fig. 1). Rock-eval pyrolysis and vitrinite reflectance are the most commonly used methods in the assessment of the maturity of organic matter. Unomah [5] evaluated the quality of organic matter in the Cretaceous shales of the Lower Benue Trough as the basis of the reconstruction of the factors influencing organic sedimenta- tion. He deduced that the organic matter and shales were deposited under a low rate of dep- osition. Specific reference to the organic richness, quality and thermal maturity in the Mamu Formation and Nkporo Shale has been reported by Unomah and Ekweozor [6. Akaegbobi and Schmitt [7], Obaje et al. [8], Akaegbobi [1] and Ekweozor [9] reported that the sediments are organic rich but of immature status. Anozie et al. [10] carried out research on thermal maturation of the rock of Campanian Enugu Shale in Anambra Basin, and concluded that the hydrogen index (HI) and generation potential (GP) of the shale attained values required for a quality source rock, suggesting that the shale has to gas generative potential and belong to type III kerogen with few records of type IV kerogen. The degree of thermal maturation obtained from the Rock-Eval data suggests that the shale sediments are thermally immature to generate petroleum. The objectives of this study sought to determine the organic richness of the source rock, determine the thermal maturity and the type of organic matter and evaluate the hydrocarbon generation and expul- sion potentials of the source rock. Fig. 1. Geologic Map showing the study area 2. Geologic setting The oldest succession in the Anambra Basin is Nkporo Group [11]. It was deposited in Late Campanian [12-13]. The Nkporo Group comprises of Nkporo Formation, Enugu Shale and Owelli Sandstone which is lateral equivalent to each other. Nkporo Group is overlain by Mamu For- mation (Fig 2). It was deposited in Early Maastrichtian [14-15]. It comprises a succession of siltstone, shale coal seam and sandstone [14]. The Ajali Sandstone (Maastrichtian) overlies the Mamu Formation [11-12], which consists mainly of unconsolidated coarse-fine grained poorly cemented sand stone and siltstone [14]. The Ajali Sandstone is overlain by dichronous Nsukka Formation (Maastrichtian - Danian) which is also known as upper coal measure [15] (Fig. 2). 2.1. Nkporo Formation The Formation has its type locality at the Nkporo Town in Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State. The Nkporo Shale is the basal sedimentary unit that was deposited following the Santonian folding in Southeastern Nigeria and indicates a Late Campanian, based on the pres- Pet Coal (2018); 60(6): 1228-1240 ISSN 1337-7027 an open access journal 1229 Petroleum and Coal ence of Afrobolivina afra [12]. The Nkporo Formation encountered in the study area is subdivi- sible into two lithostratigraphic units, namely, a lower sandstone and an overlying carbona- ceous mud rock and shale unit. The basal sandstone unit is composed of ferruginized, poorly- sorted, coarse-medium grained and pebbly sandstone that rests unconformably on the tilted Coniacian- Turonian Formations. In boreholes at the proximal Alade and Nzam localities the unit is up to 150 m thick, while in the more basinal Ogbaku and Leru sections where the unit oversteps the Pre-Campanian Formations, the thickness decreases to less than 10 m. The overlying carbonaceous mud rock unit is better developed in the more basinal area south of Awgu, where it begins with grey, bioturbated mudstone that is characterized by concretionary pyritic layers 5-10 cm in thickness. The interval passes upward into nodular, fossiliferous black carbonaceous, fissile shale inter-bedded with grey, to milky-white, sharp-based beds of lime- stone and very fine grained sandstone/siltstone [15-18. The best exposure of the Nkporo Shale is at Leru, along the Enugu – Port Harcourt express road. It is also exposed in Abia and Akanu in Arochukwu LGA; Nkporo, Item, Amaiyi in Ohafia LGA all in Abia State; Owutu, Nguzu-Edda, Ekoji and Ebunwana in Afikpo South LGA of Ebonyi State. 2.2. Enugu Shale The Enugu Shale, a lateral equivalent of the Nkporo Formation, consists of grey, blue or dark shale, occasional white sandstones and striped sandy shale beds [19]. The Formation has its type locality at the Enugu Municipality, with an area coverage that stretches north to Ikem- Ihandiagu area, and southwards to Awgu area [19]. It underlies the Cross-River Plains east of the Enugu Cuesta and largely overlies the Awgu Shale. The formation consists mainly of shales, with two distinguishable sandstone bodies- the Otobi and the Okpaya Sandstones- which are regarded as members of the Formation [19]. Most of the territory underlain by the formation is low ground except for a few laterites- capped mounds or ridges considered to be erosional resistors left behind as the Cuesta scarp retreated westwards. Relatively consoli- dated siltstones and/or fine sandstones underlie some of these isolated topographic promi- nences [19]. The best exposure of the Enugu Shale is along the Enugu – Port Harcourt express road, Enugu- Onitsha express road and River Emene all at Enugu State [19]. Fig. 2. Stratigraphic succession of Southeastern Nigeria showing the study area [20] Pet Coal (2018); 60(6): 1228-1240 ISSN 1337-7027 an open access journal 1230 Petroleum and Coal 3. Methodology 3.1. Total Organic Carbon (TOC) analysis The total organic carbon (TOC) analysis was performed by means of the LECO CS 125 carbon analyzer according to the following procedure. About 200mg of the pre-clean shale was crushed and accurately weighed into dean LECO crucibles. The rocks were de-mineralised by hot 10% HCl and afterwards washed repeatedly with distilled water. After drying at 600C, the crucibles were automatically introduced into the furnace for combustion and measurement of the organic carbon content. 3.2. HAWK pyrolysis An advanced pyrolysis instrument was used to identify the type and maturity of organic matter and to detect petroleum potential in sediments. This instrument is known as Hydro- carbon Analyzer with Kinetics (HAWK). HAWK pyrolysis is done using the Wildcat Technologies, HAWK™ Plus TOC module at Geomark Research Laboratories, Humble, TX. USA. The HAWK instrument measures all the classical pyrolysis parameters (S1, S2, S3, and Tmax) and TOC (Total Organic Carbon) using only about 100 milligrams of 60 mesh size ground rock sample.